


Uptown Girl

by kittypox



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel)
Genre: Class Differences, M/M, Song Based, Thank you Billy Joel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:42:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4370687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittypox/pseuds/kittypox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After repeatedly spotting a stranger lingering in the alley between his penthouse building and the one next door, Noiz becomes infatuated with getting to know this out-of-place stranger who spends his smoke breaks leaning against the wall and staring at him. A simple note left on the alley wall, asking for a name, starts it all…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> A little modern, fluff AU I've been kicking around. It's not my best written work, but some have been suggesting I post it up here aside form my tumbler. So here it is!

_Isn’t it polite to give your name first?_

Noiz grinned at the neat scrawl on the scrap of paper he had left taped to the alley wall. A perfect response; simple, short, enticing. More than ever he wanted to know this man. He glanced down to the small crate of tangerines that had been left with the note. A gift of good faith, he supposed. Good sense told him not to trust an offering from a stranger he had never even spoken to, but when had he ever listened to good sense? If he had done that, he would be on the same rank as his goody-two-shoes brother, obediently doing as his parents said, standing proudly at daddy’s side at the firm, making a greater annual salary before he was even out of college than most men made in their entire lives. The image made him want to retch. 

Stooping down and hefting the crate up, he tucked the note in his coat pocket and started up to the penthouse. The only ones home should have been his mother, who would hopefully be lost to a martini by then, and his brother, neck deep in school work or paperwork for their father. All the better for him; he didn’t feel like making up an excuse as to where his suspicious crate of tangerines had come from. 

Safely in his room, he placed the crate carefully on his desk, on top of some papers his father had given him to look over a week ago, and set up his laptop. He didn’t think of the fruits again until long after dinner, when the penthouse had gone dark and he should have been in bed. Half past two and those tangerines began to look very welcome, poisoned by a stranger or not. A small part of his mind warned him to be wary as he peeled the rind from the fruit, but again he ignored the voice of reason and shoved a third of it into his mouth. His brows lifted in surprise at the sweetness. He had never tasted a tangerine as sweet. He finished the one and went for another, curious to see if they tasted the same or if he had simply lucked out and found a perfect tangerine on his first grab. The second proved as delicious as the first. As did the third. And fourth. By morning he had devoured nearly half the basket. 

Running to catch a cab to university the next day, he plastered a new note onto the alley wall.

_Noiz._

_Bring me more of those tangerines._

Returning home late, Noiz paused in the alley and grinned, spotting a new crate of tangerines. His note was tucked into the side of the slats and he pulled it out anxiously.

_Koujaku._

_I’ll be looking for you on your balcony. ___

A stupid little grin twitched at the corners of his mouth as he headed inside. What was he even doing? There were a million ways to meet people, but exchanging notes with a stranger in an alley seemed to push the boundaries of acceptable flirting, even in his mind. They had never actually spoken or seen each other face to face. Maybe the guy was much older than he looked at a distance. Or ugly. Or a total creep. The possibilities only made him more determined to find out.


	2. 2

Definitely not ugly. Or old. Or a creep—as far as he could tell at that point at least. Their fateful meeting had happened by pure chance; as expecteded, the man had continued his smoke breaks in the alley, gazing at the balcony, searching for any sign of Noiz. Noiz had spotted him the last day of his finals. He had finished early, also as expected, and had made haste to get home. He would never be so reckless as to rush through a test in the hopes of meeting a stranger in a back alley, but he might have been a bit eager to finish said test and that eagerness provided him motivation to maintain focus. 

Mother had just been pouring a drink when he entered and, feeling indulgent, he celebrated his completion of exams with a drink of his own. There was a strange moment as he stood on the balcony, martini in hand, taking in the view. What a world he lived in. So high above everyone else, filled with excess. He did not know if he should count himself lucky or not. As he took his first sip, he glanced down into the alley and there the man was, gazing up at him, smiling. The man raised a hand. 

The glass broke as it clattered from the edge of the table where Noiz hastily slammed it down as he darted inside, heading for the stairs. The side door of the penthouse complex slammed into the wall as he burst through, making the man jump. That was fine, so long as he hadn’t left. Taking a moment to comb his fingers through his wild hair and catch his breath, Noiz considered what he ought to say to begin the conversation. He sauntered forward with a confident grin and no words to speak. The man saved him from the awkward silence building between them.

“Hi.” 

“Hi.” Noiz grinned back, taking a second to examine his company. Not much older than him, he suspected. 25 or so was his guess.

Perfect compatibility age and, damn, those looks didn’t hurt either. This strange acquaintance was meeting with his approval. He glanced at the man’s clothing, trying to decipher what he might do. The gray coveralls peeled and tied at his waist gave him some hint; mechanic or car pump. 

There was another beat of quiet oddity, but the man cleared his throat and forced them through it. “So, I believe I've seen you with a backpack once or twice. Where do you attend?”

“The technical university downtown.” 

That tidbit of information seemed to amuse his new friend; he chuckled and took a drag on his smoldering cigarette. “Oh yeah, I know that place. I should have guessed. You done now?”

Noiz pursed his lip, not sure what to make of the laugh or the comment. Was he being laughed at? It didn’t seem like it, but his guard was suddenly up. “Yeah. Finished today. Hence the drink I had.”

“Hmm.” The man dropped his burned out cigarette and ground his heel into it. “Congrats. Going to celebrate?”

“No.” He received a questioning stare. “My family doesn’t celebrate things like that.”

“What do you celebrate then?”

“Suing companies for millions of dollars.”

Another laugh.

“Well,” the man ran a hand through his thick, black hair, “would you like to go out and celebrate with me? My treat.”

Alarm bells should have been going off in his mind right then. _Stranger danger! Turn and run away!_ The alarm bells were silent. His celebration bells, however, were ringing with vigor. He took a step forward and leaned into the man’s personal space.

“Do you mean…on a date?” He drawled with a smug little grin. 

The man blinked, leaning slightly away from him. His cheeks turned red at the suggestion and he laughed nervously. “Well, I don’t know if you’re into that, but—”

“I’m into that.” Noiz offered quickly.

A slight hesitation. “Alright then. It’s a date.”

A date. He hadn’t been on a date in almost a year. His father didn’t greet boys at the door with a shotgun, but he did have a look of death that usually scared away any ‘suitors’, as his mother called them. Noiz suspected the harassment of his potential boyfriends had nothing to do with making sure they were worthy of his affection and everything to do with the fact that his father despised the fact that his interests swung that way. Maybe this one wouldn’t be so easily scared away. Regardless, he wasn’t going to risk having him come to the front door.

They settled on a time and place; Eight o’clock the next night. Meet in the alley. 

A sly smile curled on Noiz’ lips. “I look forward to it---” He paused, fumbling to think of the man’s name. 

It was supplied for him with a grin. “Koujaku.”

“Koujaku.” He echoed. “I’m Noiz.”

“I know.”

“Good. Remember it.”

It was time for Koujaku to get back to work, so they parted with an exchange of coy looks and subtle grins. A promise of a night worth remembering hung between them and Noiz happily spent the rest of the day sipping on martinis and wondering what this date would be like. Hopefully, nothing like the ones shared with his fellow stuffed shirt university goers. He had outgrown that crowd and was looking for new amusements. Hopefully, he had found the road to that new world he was seeking.


	3. 3

“You aren’t actually going to eat that all.”

Noiz glanced up from his plate with a grin. His eyes flicked down to the pizza tray before him, a 12 inch everything-on-it beauty waiting to sate his hunger. Gorgeous drops of amber oil dripped from the edges, the pepperoni sizzling still, the cheese bubbling beautifully, while the peppers and olives made an appealing confetti over the pizza surface. It was…stunning.

“Oh yeah, I will.” He said with a laugh, hastily grabbing a piece and taking a large bite.

Koujaku put his hands up. “Slow down, it isn’t going anywhere. At least wait for it to cool off! You’ll burn your mouth.”

That was not a worry for Noiz, but he humored the man regardless. He took a long drag from his beer and thrummed his fingers against the table top as he waited to take his next bite. Across from him, his date was busy demolishing a plate of nachos and fries. An appealing choice, but he hadn’t had pizza in a few days; he was going into withdrawal.

“So,” he drawled, reaching for his pizza; scalding hotness be damned, “what do you do? Something with cars, I’m guessing.”

“You guess correctly.”

If the man was splurging on what would have to be upwards of a $50 date, he expected mechanic over gas pump. Pumping gas for other people didn’t exactly pay the bills. There wasn’t a tactful way to say such a thing, so instead he settled for phrasing it as another question.

“Mechanic?”

Koujaku smiled through a mouthful of chips. “Yep.” He finished chewing and swallowed heavily. “What about you; what do you study at your fancy smart school?”

Noiz frowned. Fancy smart school almost sounded derisive to his ears, but he decided to brush it off. “I study computer graphics and design. Double major in law, but that’s just to appease my father.” He hated admitting that part. He didn’t try very hard in his law classes, but the fact that he took them said something about his character and he wasn’t sure he liked what it implied.

He steered conversation away from the subject of school and jobs. There were a number of probing questions from both parties as they tried to gain ground in this dubious relationship. He didn’t have much of a life outside of his work, Koujaku claimed; the overtime was good and there were always cars to fix. With almost all of his friends working alongside him, there was little need to chorale the group to a bar or a football game every weekend. At Noiz’ near bored expression, he hastily added that once the weather was nice, he and his friends did go out to the parks or party at whoever had a free backyard. Sometimes, the man added with a somewhat embarrassed expression, he went to the aviary and fed the birds there. 

“You feed birds in your spare time?” Noiz asked through chews.

Koujaku nodded, cheeks still burning. “Yeah. I like birds. I have a cage of sparrows at my apartment too.”

He hadn’t meant to, but Noiz burst out laughing, struggling to swallow his food before he sprayed half chewed chunks of pizza in the man’s face. “Oh my god, you sound like such an old man!” 

Koujaku lowered his gaze, forcing on a smile as he struggled to think of something to say. His great attempt to sound more interesting than he actually was had backfired quite badly, he saw. There was no chance of saving face after that, he thought with a sigh. Best to just roll with it then. Lifting his head, he was about to laugh it off and try to move on, when Noiz interrupted him with a big smile and a surprisingly soft expression.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out that way; it’s just funny is all. If it makes you feel any better, I have a rabbit pen in my apartment. So you’re an old man and I was raised in a barn.”

A genuine smile slowly eased back onto Koujaku’s face. Conversation became easier again. Noiz was surprised at how easily he fell into laughing. It wasn’t something he did often, even with his closest friends. Perhaps he had really boring, unamusing friends, he mused as he downed the last of his beer. He was just about to go to the bar to grab another round for them when one of the bar tenders appeared at the side of the table with two fresh bottles. 

“Let me take those for you.” The red haired bar tender said with an eager smile, grabbing at the empty bottles at the edge of the table. 

Noiz took note of the look that passed between the two men. He tactfully waited for the man to leave before asking, “Friend of yours?”

Koujaku laughed embarrassedly. “Yeah, an old friend. He’s probably been eyeballing us since we got here. He means well and, hey, we can have as much free beer as we want.”

Definitely a perk, Noiz thought, taking up his new beer. That their every move was being watched did not surprise him at all. Had they gone someplace where he was known, they would have been eyeballed just as much. At least here, Noiz thought, the watchers were more interested in ensuring that their friend’s date went smoothly. In his world, he was sure they would be horribly judged and his date scrutinized for all he was worth. 

“What’s with the frown? You don’t like it here?”

Noiz looked up, surprised that he had been caught brooding. “No, it’s not that.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable that we’re being watched?” Koujaku guessed. “I can tell Mizuki to back off.”

“No, it’s not that either. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“I like this. It feels real.”

The man raised an eyebrow at that cryptic statement. “What does that mean, exactly?”

It was difficult for Noiz to put into words. He attempted it though. “This isn’t what my dates are usually like. Everything here is so…casual. This is what it’s supposed to be like, right? You’re supposed to enjoy your date—especially your first date. You’re not supposed to think about appearances and social standings and other bullshit that shouldn’t have anything to do with liking someone. Right?”

He came out sounding far more desperate and confused than he had intended to, but Noiz had found himself struck by how much he really was enjoying himself. Much more than any satisfying expression of rebellion…he liked getting outside of his upper class world, to see the other side of things, to go out and not be judged for who he was and what he thought or did. And--he bit his lip to admit it to himself--he liked his current company. Much more than he had thought he would. Maybe it would have been a blow job in the alley or a rushed sex session, he had thought, but now he was hoping that it would be something more. 

His eyes flicked to Koujaku’s, trying to read the man’s expression behind the fall of his hair and the blank expression on his face. Maybe he had sounded whiney or needy, Noiz worried. He had been far more forthcoming that evening than he typically would have been. He opened his mouth to apologize, to take it all back, but Koujaku cut him off, his stoic mask crumbling and replaced with a grin.

“Yeah, that’s what a real date is supposed to be like. And if you liked this date then maybe you would consider going on another one with me.”


	4. 4

A second date. He hadn’t been on a second date with someone since…Noiz had to think about that for a minute. He wracked his brain, trying to think of the last time he had even gone on a single date. When the closets of his mind could produce nothing but a mutual makeout session at a Christmas party two years before, Noiz decided that his father was severely cramping his style. At that rate, he would never get laid again. All the more reason to keep his liaison a secret. 

_Study session_ , he claimed as he grabbed up his bag and left the penthouse, followed by a handful of sideways glances from his family. It would raise a few questions, he knew, as he was a self-admitted loner. He hated working with others at school. When he had group projects, he was more prone to do the entire project himself than endure the company of his group mates. He slammed the door before any questions could be asked and he was off, heading downtown to another bar. This one, Koujaku had promised, would be free of the prying eyes of his friends. Hopefully the food was just as good; Noiz was craving some good grease.

\---------

The bar might not have had spying friends, but it also lacked the quaint charm of the previous one they had been at. The entire area felt downright skeevy. Next time, he would leave the sports car at home and take a cab, Noiz thought, because as soon as he stepped out of the car he was being eyed by a number of people he did not trust. Thankfully, he didn’t have to linger long before Koujaku showed up, giving the men leering at him a threatening look before whisking him away inside. A waft of cigarette smoke hit him in the face and he coughed. 

Koujaku glanced at him. “You okay there?”

He waved his hand in front of his nose to clear the smell. “Fine.” He grumbled. 

Ten minutes later he wasn’t so fine and they wound up back at the bar Koujaku’s friend worked at. Inwardly, Noiz was seething at his inability to handle even a few minutes of second hand smoke, but there was little he could do against asthma. 

“Feeling better?” Koujaku asked, placing a large glass of water in front of him. 

He snatched it up and took three heavy swallows before slamming the glass back down. “Fine.”

“That place has shit food anyways.”

“Sure.”

That was not how Noiz wanted his second date to go. He was so irritated, he wanted to cancel the night and retry the next day. Of course, that would could potentially come off as disinterest in his date or paint him as a snooty brat who couldn’t get over himself. Taking a deep breath—or as deep as he could manage that second---he snatched up the menu and started planning a comfort meal. He hated looking so weak. Koujaku was respectfully silent as he pouted and made his selection. When he dropped his menu, the man smiled.

“So, what are we ordering?”

The real question was what _weren’t_ they ordering. The grin on Koujaku’s face slowly slid out of place as Noiz recited each plate he wanted. Virtually the entire appetizer selection and another pizza. He expected a chastisement or for the man to laugh him off, but Koujaku just slipped off his stool with an uncertain look upon his face and tracked down his friend to put the order in.

When the man returned with a pitcher of beer, Noiz suddenly found his mood much improved.

“Might take awhile to come out, but order is in.” Koujaku said, pouring himself a pint.

“I don’t mind waiting. I like spending time with you.”

That brought a smile to the man’s face. “Likewise.”

For the next thirty minutes they were thoroughly engrossed in another session of gab, slowly delving deeper into each other’s lives. It was somewhat alarming for Noiz to realize how forthcoming he was when his date asked him a personal question. There were times he admonished himself for being so open, but when he saw how Koujaku’s eyes lit up in interest or when he heard the man laugh he felt at ease. He didn’t usually make people laugh. In fact, he generally didn’t make people happy. His presence was typically regarded as an annoyance. The smile on his lips faltered just a moment and he pulled back from the table.

Sensing the abrupt change in Noiz’ mood, Koujaku reached out and touched his hand to gain the young man’s attention. “Hey, you okay?”

Noiz jumped, his entire body flinching as he turned back to the table and stared at Koujaku’s hand atop his own.

The man hastily pulled it back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be presumptuous. I shouldn’t have touched. It was rude.”

“No.” Noiz said quickly, flexing his fingers. “No, it’s fine. I just—thought of something unpleasant.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t about you.”

Koujaku didn’t argue. He wasn’t about to pry even further into the young man’s life. Already he had made several trespasses into territory better left un-trod until after three or more dates. They both shifted uncomfortably in their seats, sipping beer until the silence grew too strained. 

“So,” Noiz began awkwardly, “tell me about these birds of yours.”

“Well---”

A plate of sizzling mozzarella sticks and nachos dripping cheese clattered onto the table before Koujaku could get another word out. His friend flashed him an amused grin as he placed plate after plate upon the table.

“Loaded fries, supreme nachos, party platter, basket of hot wings, potato sliders, and a large, everything-on-it pizza. Jeez, is there anything you two didn’t order?” 

Koujaku seriously doubted there was; now he would be interested to see if Noiz could pack everything away. Thinking upon their last date, he had been mortified to see that the young man _had_ , as Noiz had claimed, demolished the entire pizza and had even gone after some of his food. Where the hell did the kid put it all?

“Ah, I think we’re good for now, Mizuki.” Seeing that his friend was lingering, likely waiting to be introduced, Koujaku narrowed his eyes. Second date was still a bit too soon to introduce his friends in his opinion and, seeing as they had been spied upon last time, he did not want to scare Noiz away with too much, too fast. 

The look was enough for Mizuki to get the message. He rolled his eyes, grabbing a wadded up napkin. “Let me know if you need a forklift for your leftovers.” He took a step away, then turned back. “You two should join in the trivia tonight. Winner gets a $50 gift certificate good at a bunch of the local restaurants. Could be good for another date.”

“Ugh,” Koujaku buried his face in his hands, “ _Mizuki._ ”

The bar tender laughed, offering Noiz a playful smirk before sauntering away. 

“He means well,” Koujaku promised, running his hand over his face, “he’s just not used to seeing me go on dates.” 

Noiz shrugged, more interested in their meal. He had already eaten one slice of pizza and was reaching for a handful of nacho chips. “Doesn’t bother me.” He glanced towards the corner of the bar where they were setting up tables for the trivia game.   
Already there was a small gathering. “Are we going to do it?” He asked.

Koujaku followed his gaze and grimaced a little. “I don’t know. I’m…not very smart.”

“That’s alright; I’m smart enough for the both of us.”

“Hey.” Koujaku shot him a playful glare. Noiz grinned back. 

It hadn’t been in his original plan for the evening, but Koujaku allowed himself to be dragged over to the corner where the other players had gathered. It could be fun, he thought, even though he tended to do horribly at that type of thing. He recalled playing a match of trivia with his friends before and his only contribution to the evening had been about birds. There would likely not be any questions about birds in this game. If he were lucky there might be something about cars though. 

A sharp elbow in his side made him grunt.

“Pay attention.” Noiz mumbled around a mouthful of pizza. “I want to win.”

“It’s just $50.”

“It’s not about the money.” The young man said, turning and giving him a challenging look. “It’s about winning. I like to win.”

Koujaku laughed. “Then boy did you pick the wrong partner.”

“Then back me up while I win for us.”

“Back you up how, exactly?”

“When I say French fry, give me a French fry.”

Reduced to a feeding machine; Koujaku laughed. “You’ve got it.”

They shared a quick grin before the round began. Maybe it wasn’t wise to let his competitive streak show so early in the relationship, Noiz thought, but he wasn’t one to back down from a competition. Especially one he knew he could win. Maybe, just maybe, he was showing off too. Not enough to make his date feel uncomfortable, but he had always thought that brains were an appealing quality in a match and he was going to show just how appealing he could be. 

He glanced to Koujaku often, searching for approval in his eyes before demanding a French fry or mozzarella stick. The man would look back at him, always smiling, waiting to be of use. Thankfully, there _was_ a question about cars and Koujaku leapt at the chance to prove his usefulness. The man’s enthusiasm was laughable and Noiz held no qualms cackling right in the man’s face. He only laughed harder when Koujaku all but screamed in joy to hear the final question to the game. 

_What bird…_

\--------------------

He snuck back into the penthouse with a grin on his face and a $50 gift certificate in his wallet. Hard as he tried, Noiz could not get Koujaku to take it and put it towards their bill; the man forced his hand away and casually slid two hundred dollar bills to Mizuki, who only had to bring two small take home boxes over. Both men were staring at him in astonishment and mild horror, wondering how he had managed to eat as much as he had. 

“I’m a human tank.” He had bragged as they walked to his car. 

Koujaku had grinned. “I’ve learned.” 

When they reached his car a moment of awkwardness passed between them. Apparently they had both decided that it was still too early for goodnight kisses, though Noiz had never been particularly prudish about that. If he liked someone, he typically let them know. And he definitely liked Koujaku.

Rather than push his luck with something physical, he asked instead, “Are we going to go out again?”

“I would like that.” Koujaku said with a smile. “Maybe we can even go out during the day.”

“The day?”

“Yeah. Day time. You know, sunlight. Unless you don’t want to be seen--”

“No.” Noiz cut in sharply. “I don’t feel that way at all. I want to go out again. During the day. All day.”

So they decided that they would. He smiled to think of it. Next Saturday, all day. It wouldn’t be anything fancy or exciting—in fact what they settled upon sounded downright boring, but he had never been to an aviary and Koujaku was keen on introducing him to the birds. It wasn’t the birds he was after anyways, he told himself, slipping off his shoes and tiptoeing into the kitchen. If Koujaku was there, that was all that mattered. Good friends could have good times anywhere, even at old people bird zoos.

Just as he pulled open the fridge door and grabbed for the milk, the kitchen light flicked on. Noiz jumped, slamming the door shut, and spun on his heels.

“Theo!” He cried angrily. “What the hell are you still doing up? Don’t you have some paperwork to do?”

His brother eyed him coolly for a moment, watching each move he made carefully. “Where have you been?”

“Out.”

“Out where?”

“None of your business, Theo.”

“It’s one in the morning, Will.”

Noiz scowled, crushing the milk carton in his grip. “I was out studying, I told all of you that when I left.”

His brother pursed his lips a moment, as if considering something. Finally, the younger boy said quietly, “No you weren’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“You weren’t out studying, Will. So where have you been?”

A fleeting look of a deer in headlights crossed Noiz’ features before he took a swig of milk and returned to scowling at his brother. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was out studying. You—”

“You’re lucky mom is too drunk to comprehend and dad is too busy to notice what you do. Otherwise they might have picked up on the strange inconsistency of you running off to study when you finished school last week.” Theo cut in, folding his arms over his chest. He lifted a brow. “So, where have you _really_ been, Will?”


	5. 5

He was greeted with flowers this time. It was such an unexpectedly sweet gesture, Noiz didn’t know how to accept them. Other boys had tried to win favor with him with pretty gifts. It wasn’t the first time he had received flowers, but it was the first time it felt like a genuine display of interest and affection. Noiz stared at the bouquet of pastel colored flowers blankly, unmoving until Koujaku shook them once.

“Did I do something wrong?” The man asked, looking at the flowers worriedly, beginning to pull them back.

Noiz snapped to attention, snatching eagerly at the bouquet. “No, I like them. I haven’t gotten flowers in awhile. I was surprised, that’s all.”

“Well,” Koujaku laughed nervously as he took the flowers, “they’re a pretty lame gift. Sorry.”

“No, _I like them._ Shut up.”

The man smiled at him, amused and happy that his gift had been accepted. A pink flush had settled on Noiz’ cheeks and he resisted the urge to sniff the colorful blossoms. He honestly thought that flowers were a cheap show of affection; they were easy to find, quick to die, and did nothing for the recipient other than decorate a room for three days before they were tossed in the trash. It was a far cry from a lasting impression. There had never been flowers in the loft unless mother had bought some to ‘cheer the place’, as she said. 

Maybe there was more to it than outward appearances. It still seemed like a stupid gift to him, but this particular bouquet had been given with deliberate care and thought. He hadn’t expected Koujaku to remember his story of stealing the lilies from the cemetery trashcan when they went to visit his grandmother’s grave, enraptured by their colors and smells. The man _had_ remembered though; he clutched a batch of pale pink and white lilies, cocooned in stalks of baby’s breath. Thoughtful indeed.

“Really though, I didn’t make some huge mistake, did I?” Koujaku asked, still looking somewhat uncertain. “The lady I bought them from thought I was going to a funeral.”

Noiz took a second look at the bouquet and laughed. “Yeah, I guess they are funerary flowers. I still like them though, so who cares? Thanks.”

He hesitated a second, biting his lip anxiously before standing on his toes and pressing a kiss to the man’s cheek. When he settled back onto his feet, he watched Koujaku carefully, noting how the man had turned red and his eyes had widened in surprise. It was alright to give small displays of physical affection on the third date, Noiz told himself. Between the dates and the constant texting and mailing, they were well versed with one another at that point. They were far from strangers. Even so, he waited to see how his kiss would be received. 

Koujaku stared at him for several long seconds before a confident smile eased onto his lips and he reached out for Noiz’ hand. He squeezed the young man’s fingers tightly in his own.

“Let’s go.”

Noiz grinned, returning the grip. “Yeah, show me all your birds, old man.”

\-----------

In the end, bird petting zoo was a more adequate term for the aviary. He had expected a literal bird zoo, with the creatures locked in cages or flitting about in some glass case. The moment they stepped from the reception center into the aviary, a swallow swooped low, grazing the top of his head, and Noiz jumped, yelping embarrassingly. Without thinking, he had grabbed onto Koujaku and the man wrapped an arm around his waist.

“They do that from time to time.” 

That was not reassuring to Noiz at all, but he forced a smile and walked with his date through the various rooms. Little rodent-esque birds scampered around a desert-like area, playfully running through cacti and hopping over an oasis puddle. In the next room, tropical birds cawed from palm trees and sauntered around the brick aisle, pecking arbitrarily at anything that appeared to be food. A flamingo wandered just a tad too close for Noiz’ liking and, with no real idea how to keep it at bay, he honked irritated at it. The ridiculous sound served its purpose…and also sent Koujaku into a fit of laughter. 

He tugged on the young man’s hand and steered him towards a bench under one of the large palms, scanning the canopy to make sure there were no birds overhead to drop presents. 

“You okay there?” He asked, still laughing as they sat.

Noiz pressed his lips into a thin line, glowering at the pink bird, strutting a distance away. “Fine. I just…don’t like birds.”

The look of amusement fell from Koujaku’s face. “Oh. You should have told me! I wouldn’t have dragged you here.”

He shrugged. “It’s fine. You were excited, so I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about.”

“Still…it’s not much of a date if you don’t enjoy yourself.”

“I’m enjoying myself.”

“I think the flamingo would beg to differ.”

They both turned to look at the bird, who dared to take a step closer. Noiz immediately leaned forward and honked at it again and the flamingo rethought its route, opting instead for the path heading the opposite away. Koujaku chuckled again and reached for the young man’s hand. 

Noiz pressed his lips together and stared at the floor. He felt the pressure of the man’s fingers as they wrapped around his own. He felt the little pricks of sensation in his fingertips, the one blessed spot on his external body that he could feel. It felt…beautiful. Koujaku’s hand was so warm, his grip so soft and reassuringly gentle. Hard as he tried, Noiz couldn’t suppress the smile forming on his lips as he curled his fingers around Koujaku’s. He inched closer until their shoulders were touching. 

Koujaku did not question him; the man glanced at him with a knowing smile and bumped against him. 

“I think we should go steady.”Noiz said quietly, dropping his head onto the man’s shoulder.

“Steady?” Koujaku echoed.

“Yeah, like date exclusively.”

“I know what you meant; I just haven’t heard it put like that in awhile. I thought that term went out of style with poodle skirts.”

They laughed. 

Koujaku tightened his grip on Noiz’ hand. “Yeah, I like that idea. Let’s go steady.”

The young man reached over with his free hand and smacked the back of his head lightly. “Shut up, you bird-loving old man.”

\-------------------------

The second half of their date was much more enjoyable, with far fewer birds, to Noiz’ relief. They laid out a blanket in the middle of the park that sat right in front of Noiz’ penthouse complex, in plain sight of any number of his neighbors. It felt a bit scandalous and thrilling to think that at any given moment someone he knew might spot them or stroll by and word might travel back to his family that he was having a fling with some rough looking fellow. 

His eyes flicked from the donut in his hand to Koujaku, who was slurping down a peach smoothie. The man had a bit of stubble that day; apparently he had gotten a late start and had run out the door as soon as he had pulled clothes on so that he wasn’t late for their date. All things considered, the man looked good with a bit of scruff on his face. With the long, silky hair and fine features—to say nothing of the rest of his well formed body---the man was quite a good looking catch and one Noiz was planning on showing off. He had to be delicate about the matter though. Much as he would love to throw open the penthouse door and proclaim his new relationship status, ushering his new boyfriend inside to meet the family, prudence told him to wait a tad longer and act with a bit of tact. 

In the meanwhile, until the appropriate time arose, he rolled over and placed his head on the man’s leg and held his donut up to Koujaku’s mouth. A shower of crumbs rained onto his chest as the man took a bite then leaned down to press a chaste kiss to his lips.


	6. 6

"So?"

Koujaku glanced up from the inventory list in his hands, finding Aoba leaning against his door, a steaming cup of coffee in his hands. 

"You better not have made that yourself." He answered, narrowing his eyes. "You know you're not allowed to touch the machines."

The young man rolled his eyes, blue locks tumbling over his shoulder. "Dodging my questions, as usual."

"You didn't ask me a question, you just said 'so'. Was there a question in there? If there was, I didn't hear it." That wasn't exactly a full truth; Koujaku knew very well what his friend was asking him. There wasn't a single person in the garage who wasn't giving him long, pointed looks and silently inquiring as to the state of his relationship. Or if there was a relationship. If no one had the courage to ask him directly though, he wasn't going to offer it. Even to Aoba.

His friend sighed dramatically. "How was your date last weekend?" He asked pointedly, then added, "And are you dating?"

A smile suddenly came to Koujaku's face. He couldn't help it. Even if he had wanted to pretend that he had no notion what his friend was going on about, he couldn't. Any time he thought on last weekend he inadvertently ended up smiling. It had been awhile since he had allowed himself to get wrapped up in sappy, mushy romance feelings. He had forgotten how pleasant it was, to just think of someone's face and for the day to get exponentially better.

The bright expression on his face apparently translated to an invitation for further gossip, as Aoba quickly shut the office door and hopped on his desk. 

"Well?" He asked eagerly.

"Well?" Koujaku echoed. "You want me to divulge my entire weekend and relationship status to you?"

Aoba smiled. "In avid detail."

His friend was in luck; he _wanted_ to tell someone. Tossing the inventory list aside, Koujaku swiveled his chair to look directly at Aoba. Where to start? He could just plunge right in, he supposed. Chances were, there was a fair amount of gossip flying around behind his back that he didn't know about. Everyone probably knew more than they let on. 

Plunge on without back story it was.

"I got him some flowers before we met up. Much to my later embarrassment when he told me he didn't really like flowers, but he took them all the same."

Confusion streaked across his friend’s face. "He doesn't like flowers?

"He said that they are a cheap way of expressing one's affection."

"What a stuck up thing to say!"

Koujaku shrugged. He was somewhat inclined to agree. "At least he told me now for future reference." That would have been humiliating to greet the young man every date with a bouquet of flowers only to be told months down the line that he disliked and even disapproved of the display. 

Light came suddenly to his friend's eyes and Koujaku paused, wondering over the mischievous glint. 

"So," Aoba drawled, leaning forward slightly, "there will be future dates then?"

"Of course, how could he resist my suave charm?"

They laughed heartily at that, but even though Koujaku knew that he had a reputation of being a notorious flirt and slick with his wooing skills, he knew better than to assume that he had won this one over. Noiz was...peculiar. Particular? Original. He had never dated anyone quite like the boy and whether that uniqueness was due to Noiz' social status or the boy simply being quirky, he could not yet tell. He would find out soon enough. 

Aoba watched the expression on his friend's face as Koujaku lost himself in his musing. It had been some time since he had seen his friend get so deliriously happy about a love interest. The last boy had left him a mess, not to mention a battered wreck with no emotional stability to speak of. After that, there had been a long string of one night stands and though he didn't think it was helping his friend in any way, there was little Aoba could do against it. Who was he to judge how his friend found relief and comfort? 

At least Koujaku had grown out of that phase. It had been exhausting constantly worrying over him. And this new interest sounded promising. Word from Mizuki was that this new one was quiet, yet strong willed. A suitable match for Koujaku who was somewhat of the opposite. Koujaku was a grand show when he had to play the part, but a total push over when it came to his affections. Which was half the trouble, in Aoba's mind...

"Do you think he likes you? Like, really likes you?"

The question caught Koujaku off guard. Whether it was the self-conscious thoughts such a query brought to the surface or the wary, wistful way his friend had stated himself, it made Koujaku feel nervous. If he thought about it and had to come to a conclusion...

"Yes, I think he does." He tried to smile, though it was weak and watery. "It's not like he'd get much out of me if he wasn't."

Aoba tried to laugh, but it was just as forced as Koujaku's smile. "It's not that; it's just, well," he bit his lip, thinking how he could tactfully phrase himself, "you put yourself all into relationships. I can always tell when you really like someone. I just don't want you to get hur--"

"Aoba."

His friend blinked, surprised by the sudden steel in his voice.

"You don't need to worry about me. I know you do it out of habit because of--the past." He chewed on that foul tasting statement, memories of that horrid time of his life butting into his mind unwanted. "But you don't have to. I've learned how to handle things now."

"Really?" Aoba raised a skeptical brow.

"Don't think so little of me; I know my flaws. I know that I don't always handle things well, but--well, I learned from my last mistake. I know what's good for me and what's not. And I know how to turn someone away. If I thought that I was being duped, I wouldn't be going out with him again."

Aoba hummed, considering. "I suppose, if you say so.” He turned his face away to look through the window and avoid Koujaku’s gaze. “What does he look like?"

Again Koujaku was caught off guard by the question, this time due to the sudden digression from such a serious conversation. "Look like? Well...he's a bit on the thin side. A little shorter than me."

"Blonde?"

Koujaku chuckled. "Yeah." He had a thing for the blondes, he had discovered. 

"Bright eyes?"

"Uh huh."

"Kind of preppy looking, great posture, looks like a young suit?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" He couldn't recall ever really talking about Noiz. In fact, he knew he kept that information to himself, which was what had prompted Aoba to corner him in his office in the first place. 

The mischievous gleam was back in his friend's eyes. Aoba smiled and jerked his head at the window. "Because he's standing out there, looking for you, I assume."

Koujaku would not say that he had fallen out of his seat, but he did turn so quickly that he tumbled onto his knees, gaping out the large window in his office. Sure enough, standing there in the middle of the garage, likely speaking with Haga over his reason for showing up, was none other than his new boyfriend. That secret was effectively out of the bag, it seemed. What a first impression the boy must be making though, dressed in his pressed slacks, dress shirt, and the brightest red tie he had ever seen. 

The words barely reached his ears as he ran right for the door, but Koujaku caught the soft sound of Aoba's laughter and a flippant comment of 'you didn't say he was rich'. 

That was the least of his worries. The crew was kind and good natured...but perhaps a bit _too_ good natured. Now was not the time for formal meetings. His office door slammed open, hitting the wall so hard he may have dented it. No time for that concern however. Before another word could leave Haga's mouth, he snatched Noiz by the elbow and dragged him outside. No few incredulous stares followed them as they went, but Koujaku did not concern himself with those piercing looks. He was more concerned over the dark glare and huffing questions Noiz was directing towards him.

Once they were safely outside on the sidewalk a good several yards from the garage door, he released the boy. 

"Excuse you." Noiz snapped, yanking his arm away. 

Koujaku muttered a weak apology, checking to make sure that no one had followed them outside. The door remained shut, but he thought he spied a face or two watching from the windows. As long as they were not overheard.

"Hi. Sorry. What are you doing here?"

The annoyed expression on the boy’s face grew. "Watch yourself. You're starting to piss me off."

Koujaku forced himself to take a breath and squash his worry and guilt. "Sorry, sorry, this is just a surprise is all. I wasn't expecting you to show up--how did you even find me?"

Were his skills in concealing truly getting so dull? First Aoba and now Noiz!

The petulant look eased off Noiz' face slowly. "It isn't very hard to find you, dummy. You post photos of you and your coworkers at the shop on your facepage all the time. Are half those things you do even legal?"

Of course it was social media, Koujaku chastised himself. He shouldn't have posted those photos...He attempted to laugh the question off.

"No, no they're not. Moving beyond that--and you saw nothing by the way, those photos do not exist--what brings you here? Why were you looking for me?" Alarm jumped into his eyes and he pulled Noiz closer. "Is everything alright? Are you in trouble?"

Well, how could Noiz stay mad at him after that? The sentimentality was uncalled for, but that didn't stop him from leaning into the man's arms and pressing their bodies together.

"Are you worried about me?"

"Well," Koujaku sighed, seeing in his boyfriend’s behavior that nothing was amiss, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Aren't you sweet."

"Really though, why are you here?" He was curious now.

The boy shrugged his shoulders delicately, arms still secured around his middle. "I knew where you were and I decided that I wanted to have lunch with my boyfriend. Is that a problem? Am I not allowed to call you that yet?"

"No, no, that's not--"

"Then what's the problem?" Noiz cut in, craning his neck to look back at the garage face and the line of people eyeballing them through the windows. "Do you have a reputation or something you're trying to protect?"

"No!" Koujaku cried, squeezing him reassuringly. "It's nothing like that, really. I mean, I don't want them to meet you just yet, but not because I'm embarrassed."

"Really?" The skeptical look had returned to Noiz' eyes.

He had to make a point then. " _Really_. It really, sincerely, has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. They are idiots." The boy laughed. "They are complete twats when it comes to dating and I had wanted us to get a little settled before I introduced you to the pack of idiots I hang around with. God forbid they decided to pull one of their pranks too early and you boot me to the curb for their antics."

Mirth danced playfully in Noiz' eyes. "Antics, hmm?" Could such antics be worse than the trickery his own crew would pull? Possibly; their pranks tended to run on the mean side. These idiots Koujaku spoke of though...

"Invite them to dinner some night."


End file.
